12 'O' Clock is a 2021 Indian Hindi-language horror film directed by Ram Gopal Varma and starring Mithun Chakraborty, Flora Saini, Manav Kaul, Krishna Gautam and Makarand Deshpande.[2][3][4] The film was first announced with the name Geher, but the following trailer revealed it had been renamed 12 'O' Clock on 3 July 2020.[5][non-primary source needed][6][7] It was released in India on 8 January 2021.[1]
| 12 'O' Clock | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Ram Gopal Varma |
| Produced by | Ram Gopal Varma |
| Starring | Mithun Chakraborty Makarand Deshpande Flora Saini Manav Kaul Krishna Gautam |
| Cinematography | Amol Rathod |
| Music by | M. M. Kreem |
Production company | Company Production |
| Distributed by | UFO Moviez |
Release date |
|
Running time | 135 minutes |
| Country | India |
| Language | Hindi |
Plot
editThe film opens with the murder of a pedestrian by an old lady at night which remains unresolved. The plot then moves to Gauri's family, comprising her father Rao, mother, brother and grandmother. Gauri is shown to sleepwalk and act strangely at night time.
Unexplained murders continue to happen in the city. Two policemen also get murdered, leaving the police baffled. Gauri becomes quiet and withdrawn and often experiences hallucinations. She is taken to a doctor who is not able to cure her, then to a tantrik who says she is possessed and tries to exorcise her by beating her to which her parents object.
Rao visits psychiatrist Dr Debashish, who says Gauri has dissociated personality disorder, and can be treated. One doctor who treats Gauri and his assistant nurse are murdered too. Gauri begins to talk in a manly voice and tells her parents that she is the one who committed the murders in the city. Rao sends his son and mother to their village for safety.
Rao then goes to the police, and inspector Francis, at first dismissive of his statement, then goes to visit Gauri himself. Gauri continues to speak in a manly voice and it is revealed that she is possessed by Babu, the spirit of a psycho killer who was killed in an encounter by the police a year back. He possessed Gauri as she passed by a cemetery where he was interred. Francis was the policeman who killed Babu. A shocked Francis goes to his superior commissioner who assigns him leave and rubbishes the claims. Francis later kills his wife and shoots himself, apparently possessed by a spirit.
Debashish is called to visit Gauri but is also shocked when Babu speaks to him in the voice of his dying mother. Commissioner and Debashish meet Babu and are not able to deny the reality now. Babu says he will never leave Gauri's body and will continue to commit murders, with the help of other spirits who committed the other murders in the city on his behalf. The exorcist is approached again and he tells them that there is darkness beyond the light and educated people see only the light, before he too apparently becomes possessed by a spirit and gets killed.
Left with no choice, and the concern that the media will never believe claims of supernatural powers, everyone decides that Gauri must be killed for Babu's spirit to be eliminated before more murders occur. Rao and his wife enter the house, distract Babu and immolate Gauri, with Debashish and commissioner watching.
The film ends with Debashish writing to his daughter, describing this paranormal incident, saying that there is more to what is unexplainable than rational thinking and the supernatural does exists.
Cast
edit- Mithun Chakraborty as Debu[2]
- Krishna Gautam as Gauri
- Flora Saini as Maya D'Souza, D'Souza's wife [8]
- Manav Kaul[8] as Encounter Specialist Francis D'Souza
- Makarand Deshpande[8] as Rao
- Divya Jagdale as Gauri's mother
- Ashish Vidyarthi[9] as Baba
- Ali Asgar as Doctor[9]
- [Jasbir Thandi] as Clerk
- Dalip Tahil as Commissioner [10]
Production
editAs Mithun Chakraborty visited Ram Gopal Varma to wish him on his birthday,[11] rumours surfaced that RGV is making a film with Chakraborty in the lead, but RGV rubbished the rumours saying he is making a film with Abhishek Bachchan after Sarkar 3,[12] but weeks later he announced the project with Chakraborty, a horror film starring Flora Saini, Manav Kaul and Makarand Deshpande as well.[8][13] Actor Amit Sadh was also in consideration for a role.[14] The principal photography of the film started in mid-April 2019.[2] Actors Ashish Vidyarthi and Ali Asgar joined the project later.[9]
Reception
editArchika Khurana of The Times of India gave the film, a rating of 2 out of 5 and stated "If you get spooked easily, you may not mind this one. However, as a psychological thriller that's focussed on 'one's believes in supernatural activities only when they have faced themselves', '12 'o' Clock' fails to hold your attention for too long and ends up being a bit of a drag."[15]
References
edit- ^ a b "Ram Gopal Varma's psychological horror 12'o'clock to be first theatrical release of 2021". Bollywood Hungama. 22 December 2020. Archived from the original on 23 December 2020. Retrieved 22 December 2020.
- ^ a b c Lohana, Avinash (24 April 2017). "Mithun Chakraborty to play a Psychiatrist in Ram Gopal Varma's next Geher". Mumbai Mirror. Archived from the original on 26 April 2017. Retrieved 5 May 2017.
- ^ "Mithun Chakraborty to feature in Ram Gopal Varma's horror film". Bollywood Hungama. 10 April 2017. Archived from the original on 17 May 2017. Retrieved 5 May 2017.
- ^ "Ram Gopal Varma's next after Sarkar 3 to be a horror film starring Mithun Chakraborty?". First Post. 11 April 2017. Archived from the original on 26 April 2017. Retrieved 5 May 2017.
- ^ "Ram Gopal Varma @RGVzoomin". Twitter RGV Zoom. 3 July 2020. Archived from the original on 30 January 2022. Retrieved 3 July 2020.
- ^ "12 'o' Clock: Ram Gopal Varma announces a psychological horror film with music by Baahubali musician". Zoom (Indian TV channel) Digital. 3 July 2020. Archived from the original on 3 July 2020. Retrieved 3 July 2020.
- ^ "RGV is back with a horror movie". The Times of India. 3 July 2020. Archived from the original on 4 July 2020. Retrieved 3 July 2020.
- ^ a b c d "Mithun Chakroborty's HORROR ACT in Ram Gopal Varma"s next". Daily News and Analysis. 10 April 2017. Archived from the original on 12 April 2017. Retrieved 5 May 2017.
- ^ a b c "Ram Gopal Varma's horror film 12 'o' Clock stars Mithun Chakraborty, Makrand Deshpande. Trailer out". Top Lead India. 3 July 2020. Archived from the original on 13 July 2020. Retrieved 10 July 2020.
- ^ Chittora, Piyush (7 January 2021). "12 'O' Clock Movie Release Date, Cast, Trailer, Plot And More To Know About". Moviespie. Archived from the original on 7 January 2021. Retrieved 7 January 2021.
- ^ "Photos: Poonam Pandey, Mithun and family at RGV's birthday bash". Mid-Day. Archived from the original on 12 May 2017. Retrieved 5 May 2017.
- ^ "Ram Gopal Varma refutes rumors of Mithun Chakraborty signing his next movie". Pinkvilla. 11 April 2017. Archived from the original on 6 November 2020. Retrieved 5 May 2017.
- ^ Lohana, Avinash (11 April 2017). "Ram Gopal Varma to make a horror film with Mithun Chakraborty?". Mumbai Mirror. Archived from the original on 5 May 2017. Retrieved 5 May 2017.
- ^ Team, Hitlist (17 April 2017). "Amit Sadh to star in Ram Gopal Varma's new horror film". Mid-Day. Archived from the original on 30 April 2017. Retrieved 6 May 2017.
- ^ "12 'O' Clock Movie Review : A bleak psychological thriller". The Times of India.
External links
edit- 12 'O' Clock at IMDb